Multi-Resolution Design Tool for Two-Phase Heat Transfer and Fluidic Systems

The Navy's vision for an integrated electric warship implies generation of large amounts of energy for weaponry and sensors, with consequent challenges for thermal and power management system optimization. A predictive, rapid, accurate thermal analysis design tool will enable design of the critical thermal and power management systems. We propose to develop an innovative System-Level Thermo-Fluidic Engineering design software to meet this need. Here, the warship thermal system will be quickly assembled from a library of key components, then analyzed and optimized using a fast, accurate compact model based system solver. In Phase I, detailed physics-based models for two-phase heat transfer will be developed and validated for two-phase cooling components, namely spray cooling and microchannel heat sinks, and a multi-scale system-level modeling tool platform will be selected. Phase II will focus on development and characterization of reduced models of components. Interfaces between detailed and compact models will be developed, for high fidelity analysis of a selected component with dynamic linking to other system components during both component- and system-level optimization. A highly qualified team has been assembled from CFDRC, the technology leader in multiscale thermo-fluidic simulations, and NREL, a leader in advanced thermal control technology development, for this proposed effort.